Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Other Indonesian Islands
Services to other islands in Indonesia are often
in flux, although Pelni is reliable. Check for
other services at Benoa Harbour.
www.flightcentre.com.au)
has offices throughout
Australia. For online bookings, try www
.travel.com.au.
definitely not much more than US$100. The
ticket area at the domestic terminal is a bit of a
bazaar. Specials posted in windows often offer
great deals. Deals to Jakarta put the price of a
plane ticket in the same class as the bus - with
a savings of about 22 hours in transit time.
From Lombok, you can get some decent
deals but direct service is mostly limited to
Bali, Surabaya and Jakarta.
hours, crossing the Bali Strait between Gili-
manuk in western Bali and Ketapang (Java).
The actual crossing takes under 30 minutes,
but you'll spend longer than this loading,
unloading and waiting around. Car rental
contracts usually prohibit rental vehicles being
taken out of Bali, but it may be possible to take
a rented motorcycle across, by arrangement
with the owner.
From Ketapang, bemo (small minibuses)
travel 4km north to the terminal, where buses
leave for Baluran, Probolingo (for Gunung
Bromo), Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Jakarta.
There's a train station near the ferry port, with
trains to Probolingo, Surabaya, Yogyakarta
and Jakarta. Contact the
Train Information Service
(
Canada
From Canada, you'll change planes at an
Asian hub.
Travel Cuts
(
PELNI
The national shipping line is
Pelni
(www.pelni
.co.id)
, which schedules large boats on long-
distance runs throughout Indonesia.
800-667-2887; www.travelcuts.com)
is
Canada's national student travel agency. For
online bookings try the websites listed under
USA (right). Replace the '.com' with a '.ca.'
%
UK & Ireland
From London, the most direct service to Bali
is on Singapore Airlines through Singapore.
Other transit points include Bangkok, Hong
Kong and Kuala Lumpur.
Recommended travel agencies include the
following:
Flight Centre
(
To/From Bali
Three ships from Pelni stop at Benoa Har-
bour as part of their regular loops through-
out Indonesia.
Dobonsolo
with Java, Nusa
Tenggara, Maluku and northern Papua; and
Awu
and
Tilongkabila
with Nusa Tenggara
and southern Sulawesi. Prices are dependent
on the route and the class of travel, and this
can range widely in price. Check for details
locally but in general fares, even in 1st class,
are very low, eg Benoa Harbour to Surabaya
on Java is US$35.
You can inquire and book at the
Pelni
offices
in Tuban
(Map p103 ;
Continental Europe
None of the major European carriers fly to
Bali at present. Singapore is the most likely
place to change planes coming from Europe,
with Bangkok, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur
also being popular.
0361-227131)
for more information.
%
0870 890 8099; www.flightcentre
%
.co.uk)
Flightbookers
(
BUS
To/From Bali
The ferry crossing is included in the services
to/from Ubung terminal in Denpasar offered
by numerous bus companies, many of which
travel overnight. It's advisable to buy your
ticket at least one day in advance, at travel
agents in the tourist centres or at the Ubung
terminal. Note too that fierce air competition
has put tickets to Jakarta and Surabaya in the
range of bus prices.
Fares vary between operators; it's worth
paying extra for a decent seat and air-con.
For a comfortable bus ride, typical fares and
travel times are Surabaya (120,000Rp, 10
hours), Yogyakarta (180,000Rp, 16 hours) and
Jakarta (275,000Rp, 24 hours). Some compa-
nies travel directly between Java and Singaraja,
via Lovina, on the north coast of Bali.
FRANCE
Recommended agencies:
Anyway
(
0870 010 7000; www.ebookers.com)
%
Quest Travel
(
0870 442 3542; www.questtravelcom)
%
STA Travel
(
08 92 89 38 92; www.anyway.fr)
0870 160 0599; www.statravel.co.uk)
%
%
Lastminute
(
Trailfinders
(
08 92 0 50 00; www.lastminute.fr)
Nouvelles Frontières
(
0845 05 05 891; www.trailfinders.
%
%
08 25 00 07 47; www
co.uk)
0361-763963; www.pelni
%
%
.nouvelles-frontieres.fr)
OTU Voyages
(
.co.id; Jl Raya Kuta 299;
8am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Thu,
8am-11.30am & 1-4pm Fri, 8am-1pm Sat)
and at Benoa
Harbour
(Map p128 ;
h
USA
Continental Airlines is the sole American
carrier to serve Bali, however it does so as
part of its local Pacific service which means
you will hopscotch through Hawaii and Guam
on your way. Often quicker connections can
be had through any of the major Asian hubs
with nonstop service to Bali.
The following websites are recommended
for online bookings:
Expedia
(www.expedia.com)
Kayak
(www.kayak.com)
Orbitz
(www.orbitz.com)
STA Travel
(www.sta.com)
Travelocity
(www.travelocity.com)
SEA
You can reach Java, just west of Bali, and
Sumbawa, just west of Lombok, via ferries.
Through buses can take you all the way to
Jakarta. Longer distance boats serve Indone-
sia's eastern islands.
08 20 81 78 17; www.otu.fr) This
agency specialises in student and youth travellers.
Voyageurs du Monde
(
%
0361-721377;
8am-4pm
%
h
Mon-Fri, 8am-12.30pm Sat)
.
01 40 15 11 15; www.vdm
%
.com)
To/From Lombok
Pelni ships link Lembar with other parts of
Indonesia. The
Awu
heads to Waingapu,
Ende, Kupang and Kalabahi; the
Kelimutu
goes to Bima, Makassar and Papua; and the
Tilongkabila
to Bima, Labuanbajo and Su-
lawesi. Tickets can be bought at the
Pelni
office
(Map p289 ;
GERMANY
Recommended agencies:
Expedia
(www.expedia.de)
Just Travel
(
089 747 3330; www.justtravel.de)
%
Lastminute
(
01805 284 366; www.lastminute.de)
%
STA Travel
(
01805 456 422; www.statravel.de) For
travellers under the age of 26.
%
8am-
noon & 1pm-3.30pm Mon-Thu & Sat, 8am-11am Fri)
in
Mataram.
0370-637212; Jl Industri 1;
%
h
THE NETHERLANDS
One recommended agency is
Airfair
(
To/From Lombok
Public buses go daily from Mandalika ter-
minal to major cities on Java. Most buses are
comfortable, with air-con and reclining seats.
Destinations include Surabaya (179,000Rp, 20
hours), Yogyakarta (272,000Rp, 30 hours) and
Jakarta (375,000Rp, 38 hours).
020 620
%
5121; www.airfair.nl)
.
GET TING AROUND
Especially on Bali, the best way to get around
is with your own transport whether you
drive or you hire a driver. This gives you
the flexibility to explore at will and allows
you to reach many places that are otherwise
inaccessible.
Public transport is cheap but can be cause
for very long journeys if you are not sticking
New Zealand
Garuda Indonesia has infrequent flights from
Bali to Auckland. Otherwise you will have to
change planes in Australia or Singapore.
Both
Flight Centre
(
Sumbawa
Ferries travel between Labuhan Lombok and
Poto Tano on Sumbawa every 45 minutes
(passenger 12,500Rp; motorcycle 32,000Rp;
car 253,000Rp). They run 24 hours a day and
0800 243 544; www.flight
%
centre.co.nz)
and
STA Travel
0508 782 872; www
.statravel.co.nz)
have branches throughout the
country. The site www.travel.co.nz is recom-
mended for online bookings.
(
%
Java
When visiting Java from Bali and Lombok,
some land travel is necessary.
